The Promise
by loneguppy
Summary: Olivia's life in the alternate universe, ten years from now. Post season 2 AU.
1. New Tomorrow

**It being Sunday, I was channel surfing when I came across an episode of Prime Suspect. When I saw Jane Tennison poured herself a glass of liquor, a question came to my mind... Does anyone else wonder what an older Olivia might be like?**

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**The Promise**

SOMETIME IN THE FUTURE:

"Agent Dunham!" Someone was yelling loudly. "Agent, can you hear me?" A bit dazed, Olivia stared up at the watchful eyes of one of the uniform officers under her command.

Olivia winced when she sat up. Something hurt. "What happened?"

"A car bomb exploded."

"Any casualties?"

"Just the bad guys, ma'am."

Olivia could see the fire that was burning behind her. Already firefighters on scene were trying to put out the flames.

"Well. Send in the CSU. There isn't much we can do around here tonight." Olivia stood up with little difficulty.

She had had enough of chasing down anti-patriots and suicide bombers for one night. All she wanted to do right now was go home and soak in a warm tub. She liked her job at the NYPD, but she felt a need for change. Ten years was a long time to be on the force. But what choice did she have.

In their last conversations together, The Secretary convinced her that traveling between universes would result in more damages to this side. After a month in confinement, he promised to let her out on one condition. She would have to stay. Olivia was only too eager to comply. He even offered her a job in law enforcement. Maybe tomorrow she can put in for a transfer.

Olivia parked her car in the driveway. She was home. Home. She had to laugh at the term. It was odd living with her alternate mother. This too was the Secretary's idea. He thought she should get to know the people on this side more, beginning with her family. Mother Dunham was only too happy to agree. She even insisted that Olivia call her mom. She must admit, she was curious about her mother.

The lights in the house were still on, which could only mean that _mother _was still waiting up for her. She let herself in as quietly as she could without attracting immediate attention. She put a glass on the kitchen table and poured from a bottle of whiskey. It didn't dull the pain much. She was about to pour another glass but only succeeded in knocking the empty glass onto the floor. Uh oh. _She_ would definitely have heard that. Olivia picked the glass up and gasped. The pain in her side grew worse. She quickly bought a hand to her mouth to keep from getting sick.

"Olivia? What's wrong?"

There was no point in lying to her. Mothers always have a way of finding out the truth. Beside the expression on her face already betrayed the fact that she was injured.

"You are hurt, aren't you?"

"Yeah, Mom. I'm hurt."

Her mother grabbed Olivia by the crook of her elbow and led her to the sofa for a closer examination. She unbuttoned her blouse to reveal a nasty looking bruise on her right side.

"Oh good. Nothing's broken at least."

She went off and brought back an ice pack.

"Ahhh haaa!

"Hold it on your ribs until the pain is gone." She obeys.

"There's more." Olivia raised her left arm.

Mrs. Dunham helped Olivia out of her coat. Then she peeled off the rest of her blouse from the bloodied arm. It was badly scraped.

She went off again and came back with a first aid kit. Olivia was surprised at how very adept her mother was at bandages. It must have come from years of taking care of her own Olivia. God keep this woman. She is a saint. She wrapped up Olivia's arm with so much gentleness that there was very little pain at all.

Mother Dunham noticed that Olivia hadn't budged from her seat much.

"Take it easy on that bruised rib. You'll want to sleep downstairs tonight."

She warmed up some milk and grabbed a throw from the chest in the living room. Olivia drank the milk and laid down on the sofa. Mrs. Dunham couldn't resist stroking the delicate features of Olivia's face. This made Olivia smile.

"You are not getting younger, ya know. You shouldn't have to put your life at risk." Olivia pondered her mother's words.

"I've been thinking about taking a sabbatical."

"Well. Don't go making any plans just yet."

"Oh. Why's that?"

"The Secretary called today. He wants to meet you tomorrow."

Olivia hadn't heard from the Secretary in over ten years. What could he possibly want with her now?

"The Secretary?"

"Whatever it is, don't worry your little head about it. OK?" She gave Olivia a kiss on the cheek.

"OK Mom." She wasn't going to.

"Good night love."

"Good night Mom."

**

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Ten long years living in the alternate universe, without Peter. What has become of Olivia?  
I've shown a bit of her domestic life. In the next chapter, I'll be exploring her work life.**


	2. Surprise

~THE OFFICE~

Olivia Dunham headed up a terrorist investigative unit at the NYPD. This branch of the police department was formed right after the attacks on the White House and Pentagon. Today the office was small; it was just Dunham really and her assistant. There have been fewer and fewer cases over the years. Most usually end up like the one last night. Whatever resources she needed was provided by the uniformed personnel from the precinct. She preferred it that way. As long as the caseloads didn't involved Fringe Division was OK by her. That would have been a sad reminder of all the things she had to leave behind.

When she arrived at her office at a quarter to eleven, case reports from last night were already piling up on her desk. There was a knock on her door.

"Come in."

It was Mathers, her assistant. His usual baby face demeanor always afforded her a smile everyday.

"Hey boss. There is someone here to see you."

Olivia looked at her watch. 12:30.

"OK. Send him in...Oh. Mathers, before I forget, clear my calendar for the rest of the day. I have a meeting at the DOD this afternoon."

"Yes ma'am."

When Mathers had left, Olivia returned to reading the case reports. She was so engrossed, she didn't notice the person who had just stepped into her office.

"Hey boss, you should have someone take look at that arm."

"I did..." Wait. Only one person sounded like that. "Charlie! When did you get back? It's so good to see you."

"Liv. Liv. Liv. Would you let a guy get a word in edge wise?"

Olivia shook her head and laughed. Charlie enveloped her in a big bear hug.

"You cut your hair." Charlie brushes a stray strand from her face. "It suits you."

"You let yours grow." It was true. Not only did he have a shaggy, curly mane now, he also had a full beard as well.

"Two months in the Himalayas will do that to you."

"Aw! How was your second honeymoon?"

"Great. Sonia sends her love."

"Are you going to keep that thing on your face?"

"I don't know. It's growing on me." He strokes it with pride. They both burst out laughing at his pun.

"Did I hear right, Liv? You are going to see the Secretary today?"

"Yeah. Come on. I'll tell you all about it over lunch."

~MR. SECRETARY~

Walter Bishop looked at himself in the full-length mirror. There has been more gray in his hair then the last week. Oh well. He smirked at his reflection. He still look good for his age. He noticed his posture and consciously stood a little straighter.

"Mr. Secretary."

"Ah. Olivia, you've arrived. I hope your journey over here was pleasant."

"It was sir." He gestured over to the low slung couches. She sat down facing him.

"Excellent. You must be wondering why I've invited you here after all these years."

"The thought did cross my mind."

"You see my retirement is next month and I need to tie up some loose ends before that happens." He paused for effect. "Olivia, I want you to join Fringe Division."

"Why?"

"Well. When you agreed to cease your traveling, there have been few fringe or _pattern_ events. None at all. The environment is safe thanks to you. I am afraid that when my successor takes over, Fringe Division will have little use in the Department of Defense. It will transition to more research oriented investigations."

"What does that have to do with me?"

"I promised Peter a reunion between the two of you. And our technicians finally made a breakthrough." He took an object out of his pocket. "Do you recognize this?"

"It's a cell phone."

"It's no ordinary cell phone... It is yours." Olivia considered what she had just been told.

"It came from the other side."

"Yes. Precisely. We have the means to establish a stable gateway that will allow objects to crossover. Remember how I crossed ten years ago." Olivia nodded. "The principle is the same. The same way we can broadcast audio and video waves, we can send transmissions. Any transmission."

"The holo-corder!"

"Very astute, Agent. Yes. Real-time holographic transmissions are possible. This phone has a countdown for when the next time our two universes come back to sync." Olivia took the phone that the Secretary just handed to her.

"So then. It's a date, Olivia."

Olivia looked at the counter on the phone display, 6 days. What's 6 more days compared to 10 years?


	3. First Date

**I know that chapter 2 lacked oomph. It was used to set up chapter 3. I didn't know of a better way to write it without all that dialogue. I hope you will enjoy this one. (Since publish, I tried to improve the _date_ scene.)**

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~Lady's Night at The Bar~

6 days might have well been 10 years.

This was silly. Why was she feeling so anxious about meeting Peter after all this time? Olivia looked at herself in the bathroom mirror. There were probably more lines around her eyes than on a street map. Well. No sense sulking about it. She sauntered back to the bar to wait for her friend to arrive.

With drink in one hand, Olivia absentmindedly accepted a cigarette someone offered her. After inhaling once, she started hacking. Her friend sat down on an adjacent stood.

"I didn't know you smoked."

"I don't." She coughed some more before extinguishing the offensive butt in an ashtray.

The other woman made eye contact with the bartender.

"Vodka martini."

Once her drink was served, she took a sip.

"What's up with you?"

"I'm going to meet with up a guy in six days."

"That's good... Isn't it?"

"Jane, I haven't seen him in ten years."

"Oh. Feeling a little anxious are we? Cheer up. If it's men you are thinking about, there are plenty of diversions to go around...Work the room...That's what I'm going to do."

"Men." She makes a toast by herself and swigs down the rest of her martini.

Just then a guy walked up to the bar next to her. Jane gave him a quick once over and pressed closer to him. Lately she liked them a little beefy.

"You there. I'm a Detective Superintendent of Scotland Yard. Care to buy me a drink?"

"Sure." He turns to the bartender. "Another one for the lady." Jane winks back at Olivia.

Olivia watched as Jane walks off to join his party. Not long after her companion ditched her, someone else slid onto the stool she had vacated.

"Hey gorgeous. You're hot."

Olivia cringed at the lame pick up line. She was going to just brush the guy off when she turned to look at him. Oh god!

"Carl Bussler?"

"Wow! How did you guess my name?"

Olivia hid her embarrassment behind one hand. She remembered where she seen this guy before. She had interviewed him years ago on a case she worked on...from the other side. When she noticed that he was going to walk away, she changed her attitude.

"Wait! Come back. I don't want to be alone tonight."

LATER THAT NIGHT:

Olivia wished now she had taken up smoking. Carl had long since fallen asleep. She laid there on the bed thinking of the cruel irony. Of all the familiar people she had to bump into, why couldn't it have been someone she liked?

~Fringe Division~

"Welcome to Fringe Division Headquarters, Agent Dunham."

Olivia attached the badge the receptionist handed her to make it official. The elevator doors open at her floor. She took a good look around the room. The last time she had stepped into a room similar to this one seemed like a lifetime ago. She stopped a young agent to ask for directions. "Excuse me. Where can I find Charlie Francis?" He pointed to an alcove on her right. Charlie was on the phone with someone. But he waved her in anyways. She noticed his hair was more or less back to regulation length but he still had the beard. He turned back to her when he hung up.

"Livy. Welcome aboard."

"Thanks Charlie."

Charlie led her to the table in the back of the room. Olivia was familiar with the tech.

"Touch screen and voice activated controls. Why don't you get up to speed with what we are currently working on right now?" He smiled at her warmly. "It's good to have you here."

The next few days, Olivia had learned all she could about the fringe science she had not even encountered on her own side. She now focused her attention on one tech in particular; the holographic transmitter that she will use for her and Peter's_ date_.

~Broken Telephone~

Olivia entered the darkened holo-chamber and put on her glasses to read the controls on the display screen. She entered her ID code and then the command sequence. Almost immediately a mist descended and the view changed to that of the Harvard lab. Someone entered into frame.

"Hi Aunt Liv. Give me a sec. I'll go get Peter." With that, she disappeared from view.

She couldn't believe it. That was Ella. It finally sunk in just how much time had passed. She had almost forgotten that Ella would be a teenager by now.

Olivia could hear Peter's voice before she actually saw him.

"Olivia." He looked pretty much as she had remembered. There was maybe a bit more gray in his hair. But what got her attention was the ridiculous-looking Superman apron he had on. With the signature "S" on the bib and a puffy red skirt, it made him look like a superhero domestic in someone's warped fantasy. Peter noticed her noticing him and quickly tore off the apron.

"Hey, can we actually touch."

"Yeah."

After they hugged awkwardly and shared a laugh, Peter said, "Somehow I had always envisioned our first date would be more romantic. Not like this." He gestured where each of them was.

"I never thought we would ever see each other again." He stroked her cheek. It made him feel bad to see that he had hurt her, however unintentionally.

Just then Ella burst into the room with a wailing child. "Here Peter, you take the rug-rat. I have to go to class."

"Oh. Come on, Ella. You said you would help out."

Olivia's face blanched. Before Peter could complain some more, Ella was half way out of the lab. The baby still in his arms didn't stop crying. He turned to Olivia apologetically. "Hey. Would you watch Roberto while I go get his bottle?"

To her chagrin, Olivia was left holding the baby. Was this Peter's child? She was looking at him now trying to find a family resemblance.

"Hi Roberto." The child ceased crying and out of curiosity tried to grab her glasses. To avoid his attacking hands, she tickled him mercilessly. This made the child squeal with delight.

Peter came back with the bottle and saw how Olivia was playing with the baby.

"You are a natural with children you know."

"Where's his mother?"

"She's teaching a class here."

"So you married an academic?"

"What? No! You think this is my kid. No! You've got the wrong impression." He took the child from Olivia and let him play on the ground.

"He isn't your son?"

"No. No. No. Ever since Walter moved into the nursing home, I took up babysitting to make myself useful here. Ironic isn't it?"

At the mention of Walter, Olivia started to feel sentimental. "How is Walter?"

"Well. He's senile now. He seems more lost than usual. When he does remember, he would often ask about you." Olivia blushed at the thought.

"That reminds me. He left you something; his diary. He was afraid that he would not have a chance to talk you again. Every chance he could he wrote down his thoughts in it. I'll have it sent your way."

There was a crash and more crying.

"Oh. Roberto, I just cleaned that couch yesterday." He turned back to Olivia. "Sorry Liv. Gotta go. I love you." With that he walked away, leaving her to end the transmission. She lingered to hear him in the background.

"I love you too." She whispered back. A tear threatened to roll down her face. She really did. But what good was it, when they are on different worlds.


	4. Rather Be Together

**This has become a lot longer than my usual chapters. Once I knew how I wanted to end the story, it didn't do it justice by splitting it into smaller chapters. And because it took so long to write, I spent more time reading it to make sure it flowed. I wrote it every chance I got, even when I'm at work, to get it published in time for the weekend.**

**For sure Olivia is gonna feel worse before she finds happiness. Some of you may wonder why she is so emotional all the time. As one gets older, you often have feelings of self-doubt, regrets and self-pity.**

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Olivia was nodding off in Charlie's car. He should have suspected something was wrong when she agreed so easily to go out for drinks after work. She wasn't a social drinker. She was very quiet after her brief experience in the holo-chambered. If Bishop was the cause of Olivia's troubles, Charlie was not going to forgive him, even if he was the Secretary's son. He became worried when she quickly downed three shots before he finished even one drink. The evening ended more or less when she fell, on the way to use the washroom. Now that they have arrived at her house, Charlie half guided and half carried Olivia up the porch steps. Mrs. Dunham opened the door after the first ring. She instructed him to take Olivia to the living room sofa.

Mother Dunham thanked Charlie and walked him out. By the time she had returned with a damp towel to wipe her face with, Olivia had already kicked off her shoes and stripped down to her blouse. She saw Olivia lying on her stomach, her face buried in her arms. It saddened her to see her girl get this low even now. She grabbed the throw blanket that was still on the back and draped it over her. She had lost track how many nights Olivia spent on this sofa.

Roused by the slightest touch, Olivia turned onto her side. She was concerned to see Olivia visibly distraught about something. Olivia averted her eyes to hide her carefully restrained tears, but couldn't hide the one tear that escaped down her cheek.

As if by instinct, she began to rub Olivia's back, remembering how it usually comforted her own girls. It prompted her to open up.

"Mom?" There was an earnest pleading in her voice.

"Yes dear?" She leaned in closer to hear her.

"Peter loves me." Olivia whispered very calmly.

She didn't have to say anymore. That explained everything. Mrs. Dunham knew then why Olivia was hurting tonight.

~Ma Dunham vs. Walterate~

While he waited for his guest to arrive, Secretary Bishop removed the books from the shelf and packed them in the banker box with care.

"Walter." He turned to greet his old acquaintance.

"Ellen, it's good to see you, as always. What can I do for you?"

"I want you to stop meddling with the affairs of the heart."

"What do you mean?"

"I was referring to your halfwit attempts at matchmaking."

"Oh. You mean the meeting between Peter and Olivia. How did that go?"

"Ugh. You are so dense. You have no idea, do you?"

Walter Bishop shrugged.

"What you have done this week has undermined my efforts for the past ten years." Mrs. Dunham paused to take a breath. "Olivia was adjusting fine to her situation here at last. No thanks to you, now she's left to wonder if she will ever have a future with Peter."

The Secretary sat down a bit deflated.

"I am so sorry. I thought I was helping."

"Do you have a plan to bring Peter home?"

"I'm not sure if he is willing to, but I know someone who might be able to help.

~Hungover~

If the pounding in her head didn't stop, Olivia was going to jump out the first floor window to end her misery. Whatever she drank last night was definitely not whiskey. She turned her head and saw a bottle of pills and a note. She reached for the note.

_If you still feel crappy when you wake up, take two of these and go back to bed.  
-Love Mom._

She swallowed two pills immediately and headed straight up to her bedroom. Lying in bed, she could feel the effects of the drug working already.

Olivia thought back to yesterday's incident. She didn't really have a chance to talk to Peter. The sight of the child sent her reeling; she was completely mortified. It wouldn't have surprised her then if Peter had move on with his life. They really didn't make any commitments after all. Was he serious now? Did he mean what he said? Or was he just saying it casually? Does he actually love her? How could he? He's over there, and she wasn't. It was not helping any to keep thinking about it. Soon she fell asleep wishing she hadn't seen him again.

~Friendly Visit~

Walter Bishop's expression brightened when Peter entered the room.

"Peter!"

"Hey Walter. I got you something." He produced a carton and spoon. "It's your favorite. Strawberry ice cream. I think it's batch #147. Come on. Taste it before it melts."

"Hmm. Tell Astrid she's almost got it. It's almost taste like Strawberry Supreme."

Peter helped himself to some of the ice cream with his finger.

"Walter. Do you remember where you put that diary of yours?"

Walter tapped the side of his head. "It should be on my desk."

"I checked it's not there."

"Well. I don't know where else it could be. Are you sure, you didn't already take it?"

While Peter searches the closet and drawers, Walter became suddenly became wistful. "Did you know Olivia is unhappy?"

Peter paused in his task and turned to Walter. "How could you possibly know that?"

"I don't know. I just do...You must go and comfort her."

~Pillow Talk~

Olivia's hackles were up. She could feel someone was watching her. She spun around to see who it was. She didn't expect to see him sitting on her bed. He was watching her with the innocence of a child. Feeling completely exposed, Olivia held the bedsheets close to her bossom. Her quick actions prompted him to stand up so stiffly, that under other circumstances it would have looked comedic.

"You! What are you doing in my bed?"

The Observer reflected for a moment.

"You are the gatekeeper. You have to keep the gate open. Find the crack."

"What? What are you talking about?"

He held out a leather bound book. Olivia took it and flipped through a few pages. It was Walter's diary. Judging by the entry dates, it was the very one that Peter had mentioned. How did it fall into the Observer's hands? She was about to ask him, but when she looked up again and he was gone.

She heard a ring tone. It was coming from her old cell phone, sitting on the night stand. It went off again. Olivia didn't know who would be calling her on that number. She flipped open the phone.

"Hello?"

"Olivia. It's me."

"Peter?"

"I am the last person you'd want to hear from right now. Don't say anything. Just listen. I am calling to make sure you are alright. Walter here seems to think that you were unhappy." Olivia smiled. "It's probably my fault. We didn't have a chance to talk much yesterday. And I apologize. I never told you how much I missed you. This is going to sound sappy. But seeing you there took my breath away. The last few years, I realized that it doesn't matter where I am, so long as I am with you." She wiped a tear from her eye. "Olivia? You still there?"

"I'm still here."

"Let's wipe the slate clean and start over then. If there was a way to crossover again..." Olivia remembered what the Observer just said. "I would be there in a heartbeat..."

"Shut up, Peter. I may know a way." She looked at the counter on the cell phone. "Meet me in woods at the border of New York and Massachusetts in eight hours. I'll explain when you get there."

Olivia hung up. Walter's diary laid opened to the recipe for Cortexiphan. She needed to find Charlie.

~Together At Last~

"Is this stuff safe to use?" Charlie found himself doubting Olivia's sanity for subjecting herself to this science experiment gone awry. Right now all he knew for sure was that she trusted him to inject her with the drug.

A moment later, Olivia exclaimed, "Nothing happened."

"Maybe nothing is supposed happen. After all, it says here it's a new recipe."

The closer she got to the border, Olivia felt the effects of the drug. It started with a deep pain in her bowels and then she would see a glow. She knew then all she had to do was follow that glow.

With only twenty minutes left on the counter, she called Peter.

"I see it; the crack...I see you too."

"Where?"

"Due east."

Peter looked west but he couldn't see Olivia.

The pain got worse. "Ugh."

"What's wrong?"

"Ahh. It's nothing."

Using her Cortexiphan-enhanced ability, Olivia widen a crack between universes. It was still just that, a crack; it was not nearly big enough for a person to fit through. The crack was closing so she decided to step into the crack and use herself to wedge it.

Peter could see the crack now too. He also saw Olivia. He saw how much strain she put on herself to make a gateway for him to crossover. He watched her face as blood was trickling from her nose. She wore a mask of pain but remained in place.

"Stop it Olivia! Can't you see it's killing you! We can find another way!"

"Come on, Peter! I can't hold it open much longer."

Peter took a deep breath and jumped through the crack, in so doing, knocked Olivia backward onto the forest floor. During his fall, Peter compensated so as not to land right on top of her. When he recovered, he looked over at Olivia, who was out cold. He stroked her sweat covered face hoping his touch would be enough to bring her back. He continued to stay with her so that he was the first thing she would see when she woke up. She opened her eyes slowly. Her gaze met his concerned expression.

"Happy birthday." Olivia smiled.

Seeing that Olivia was physically too weak to move, Peter scooped her up into his arms, letting her head rest on his shoulder and retraced her steps back to her car. And together they drove off into the sunset.

"Peter. That's not how it ended."

"It's my memoir; I'm allowed a little creative license."

"It will never sell."

~The End~

**

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That's it. Olivia and Peter spend the rest of their lives bickering and arguing over who is right about anything, which leaves us to wonder what they saw in each other to begin with...I'm kidding.  
Seriously, I think I can follow this up either by telling how Olivia adjusted to life on the Other Side or invent stories of Peter and Olivia living together there.**

**I hope you enjoy reading it. If you haven't read chapter 3 again, I have made modifications to the **_**date**_** scene to make it flow better.**


End file.
